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Joined: Dec 2010
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I got a Kindle for Xmas and took a while to get used to it. It has its uses, especially when traveling light. You can take what amounts to a small library along with you in a carry-on. These days that's important. (There are also no noisy pages to turn and drive your spouse crazy when she's trying to sleep in the usual cheap hotel rooms I frequent....).

I have read several gun books in a Kindle ebook format. OK but hard to get warm to. Diagrams and b/w photos are OK but not very inspiring. I think gun books with lots of data and a few, simple graphics would be OK, ESPECIALLY if the alternative is no book at all!

For a full-bore treatment of a maker or smith and his guns, maybe the narrative text and data (and b/w repros of ledgers and records and newspaper articles and such) could be in ebook format and the color photos provided on a separate CD????

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Along these same lines does anyone use adobe pagemaker?

Is there another product that has a respected following?


MP Sadly Deceased as of 2/17/2014




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Auction catalogs - great example. High quality photos and pretty good paper. I like the idea of a book with subsequent add ons. I think the old gun catalog books are done that way. Buy the books get monthly email updates. Keeps the customer engaged at least monthly that way. The way new stuff turns up all the time it could almost be like a subscription. Id pay for a years worth of semi-monthly cds of pictures that we are all duplicating efforts in copying off the web anyway. If cds become obsolete it could transition to whatever is next. I remember as a kid having the option of 8 track or cassette in mail order music.

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Adobe while still selling Pagemaker has abandoned future development. They are now selling InDesign. There is also Microsoft Publisher and QuarkXPress. A free open source alternative is Scribus. Scribus gets good reviews. For the most part, any software that can output PDF is workable. Depends on what you need.

In addition to Lulu.com there is also CreateSpace.com (AKA Amazon). I have not compared prices and services. With CreateSpace you can publish directly to kindle.

No matter what is choosen, there is a learning curve. I found that out the hard way. I never intended to learn video editing software, much less have to make the cash outlay for it.

I guess I need to say this. I am all for a bound book in my hands. I prefer it. The problem is costs. With POD it is possible to have the best of all worlds at the moment. That is, you can offer both a bound book and an ebook. You let the buyer choose. Ultimately, we are talking about a niche market. Self publishing through a vanity press becomes very expense. There are very few, some are present here, who can go to a publisher and not have to pay them to publish.

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JMO I vote on Michael doing as big a book as possible,with as many gunmakers and as much info as possible in it,printed at the best price possible (for him) on prepaid order.It is worth it to any of us, that really get into this stuff.Just quit buying those $4.50 lattes for a while, you'll make the money up in no time! Michael go for it! Jerry


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The overall view of things are that the first book is still selling and on the second printing. Last year was kind of a bust sales wise but to be expected.

Precision Shooting published the book which works well for me because they already paid me for the articles and now I get four checks a year. Financially I do much better on the books I sell myself that I buy from PS.

In a year or so we should be able to publish book number two. This is good for both PS and myself so I hope this goes forward.

What these books do not address and what I want to see is a lot more information on each maker and COLOR pictures. An article that runs around two-thousand words just does not reflect the years of research I have into each maker.

The down side is the BIG-BOOK done right would cost a lot of money, the up front kind.

I have offers to publish the book but right away I saw that my vision and theirs are not the same. I do have choices, just thinking out loud as it were.

Thanks for the feed back, lost of things to think over.


MP Sadly Deceased as of 2/17/2014




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Web magazine

Michael,
21st century publishing, just an idea, maybe you already get this but have a look.

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If each and every one who expresses a passionate interest simply ponies up about $1500 up front for a signed and numbered first edition it might help get started. Still tough to make it a financial success. But it almost worked for Audubon.

I've done it both ways with three books.
First was Krause Pub. 1998 Johnny on the spot Fine Gunmaking: Double Shotguns, sold about 8000 in two editions and I actually got reasonable royalty check for the first year, although not enough to bank. First printing of 4500 sold out in 14 months. Second printing kinda died. I bought the remainder.

Self published Custom Rifle in B&W ($25,000 - 1999) amortized 90% in first 18 months, last 10% took another year, to break even... now it's a cult classic and not financially worthwhile to reprint. A lot of work besides writing and photography.

My most recent royalty check on Double Guns & Custom Gunsmithing, 2007 was $140, for the last (Christmas) quarter, whoopee!

No matter how loudly a few clammer, gun books are simply not money makers, a flat lot of work to break even. Now if you are willing to put some money up front....

Last edited by SDH-MT; 03/12/11 06:07 PM.
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Steven,
The really of your experiences, although not surprising, should hit home hard to anyone reading about it. We thank you and Michael for your efforts, I only wish that could have equated to a financial success for you.

What ever Michael does or for that matter you also in the future, I for one will be appreciative. I AM NOT PARTICULAR... paper, CD, DVD, e-book will all work for me I just would like to here what you have to pass on.

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Originally Posted By: LRF
Web magazine

Michael,
21st century publishing, just an idea, maybe you already get this but have a look.

LRF, I appreciate your comments, tough row to hoe although the image and the judgments are quite a bit different.
Truth is, they don't have a clue where this mag. going or the true potential, no one does. A bit heavy on the adverts for me...
But... as with my own website, now including PETROV'S PAGES , We hope for the best. Content & Photo HEAVY, no adverts!!
Thanks,
Steve

Last edited by SDH-MT; 03/13/11 12:35 AM.
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